Arch support



Aug. .8, 1925.

E. MUELLER ARCH- SUPPORT Filed Sept. 13

Patented Aug. 18, 1 925,

UNITED STATES tstaan PATENT OFFICE.

" ERNST MUELLER, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

F ARCH SUPPORT.

Application filed September 13, 1924. 1 Serial No. 737,561.

"To all whom it may concern:

Be 1t known that I, ERNST MUELLER,

,7 a citizen of the United States, residing inthecity of St. Louis and State of Missouri,

1 5 have invented oertain'new and useful Tmprovements 1n Arch Supports, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to arch supports, more particularly to an improvement upon qtheform of archsupport as disclosed in 1 Letters Patent -#j1,238,179, granted to me August 28,'1917,.and not only embodying the objects and advantages as set forth in the 1 Letters Patent referred tmbut has for its fur ther object to provide, in a manner as here inafter set forth, an arch supporthaving means to prevent the buckling or contracting persons afflicted with weak ankles or with weak or broken arches,'strong, durable, compact, thoroughly efficient and convenient in 1 its use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

1th the foregolngand other ob ect-s 111 view, the invention consists of the'novel'construct-lon, combination and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein is shown anembodiment .of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes,variations and modifications I canbe resorted towhich come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawingswherein:like reference charactors denote corresponding parts through- 40 put the several views 1- Figure 1 is a perspective view of an arch support, in accordance with this invention. Figure 2 is an inverted plan view. Figure 318 a side elevatioinfilooking towards the other side of the support.

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of theholding plate. i v

Referring tothe drawings in'detail, 1 denotes a footsupporting-or engaging mem for the purpose of maintaining the latterin flared or arched position.

A The construction described is substantially the same as that disclosed inthe Letters Pat- I without the employment of-a holding or reberhaving-one side edge and one end edge bevelled, in a manner as disclosed in the Letters Patent referred to, and said member 1 has an intermediate portion 2 thereof flared or arched and said intermediate portion -2 which is flared or arched extends from one side edge and terminates at a point removed from the other side edge of the member 1. The flared or arched interme dlate portion 2 provides asymmetrical curve or arch to conform to the curvature of the arch of the foo-t.

The member 1 is formed of flexible materialypreferably leather, and to maintain the flared or archedshape intermediate portion 2 permanently inburved position, a

plurality oflifts or layers offiexiblei material are arranged in superposed relation against the lower face of the member 1 at the intermediate portion 2. The lifts or layers can be of'any suitablenumber, and

as shown three are employed, asindicated by the reference characters 4, 5' and 6.

Thelouter edges of the lifts orlayers are bevelled so as to form a continuationofthe bevelled side edge of the member 1; The

lifts or players are further arranged in stepped; 'rela-tlon.

-' Secured to the lower face ofthe member l is a segment shaped facing strip of flexible material, asindicated at 7, and which is secured in position by a row ofstitching 8 which provides means for securing the strip 7 torthe member 1. -The strip 7 is of any suitable width and has its outeredge bevelled to conform to the bevelled outer edges of the lifts or layers and also to the bevelled sideedge of the member 1. The facing strip 1 maintains the lifts or layers in position with respect to the intermediate portion 2,

cut referred to and it has been found that inforcing means, the attaching member 1, from juse, would buckle up or contract, making the arch support somewhat inconvenient to the user. To prevent this contracting or buckling up, a metallic resilient holding plate is employed and which is secured against the lower face of the strip 7 and member 1. The said holding plate is generally indicated at 9 and is of compound curvature in longitudinal section. The plate 9 includes a wide portion 10 and a narrow portion 11 which are substantially of the same length.

The wide portion 10 is of a width less than the width of the member 1 and is positioned against the lower face of said memher 1 at the rear end thereof, and said Wide portion 10 conforms substantially in contour to the shape of the member 1 at the rear portion thereof.

The narrow portion 11 projects forwar lly from the wide portion 10 and is of a. width substantially half the width of the wide portion 10. The outer side edge of the narrow portion 11 forms a continuation of the outer side edge of the wide portion 10, and the forward edge of the wide portion 1.0 merges into the inner side edge of the narrow portion 11 centrally of the plate 9.

When the plate 9 is set up with respect to the member 1. and strip 7, the outer side edge of the plate 9 conforms to the shape of the outer side edge; of the strip 7 and is substantially flush therewith.

The wide portion 10 of the plate 9, at the forwarl terminus thereof, is formed with an opening 12, and the narrow portion 11 at the forward terminus thereof is provided with an opening 13. The opening 12 is arranged approximately centrally of the plate 9, and the opening 13 is positioned approximately centrally of the narrow portion 11. EX- tending through the openings 12 and 13, as well as through the strip 7, lifts or layers 4, and 6, and member 1, are hold-fast devices li in the form of rivets, which act as means for securing the plate 9 in positioai, as well as securing together the strip 7, lifts or layers, and member 1. The outer ends of the rivets are countersunk in the outer face of the member 1.

The rear of the wide portion is free, forming a resilient end terminal for the plate 9 and which allows freedom for the rear end of the member 1, affording comfort when using the support and which will not interfere with any expansion to the rear end of the member 1, due to wear.

The arrangement of the plate 9 in the manner as illustrated and described, prevents any possibility of the intermediate portion 2 from buckling or contracting to an extent which cause a misfit or inconvenience to the user when the support is positioned with respect to the arch of the foot.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention is as illustrated and described, yet it is to be understood that changes in the details of construction can be had which will fall within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

What I claim is 1. An arch support comprising a foot engaging member formed of nonmetallic material and provided with means intermediate its ends to constitute an arch supporting portion, a metallic holding plate opposing the lower face of said means and the lower face of said member at the rear end thereof, and means forsecuring said plate in position said plate including av wide part and a narrow part projecting forwardly from the wide part, and said securing means being arranged at the forward terminals of said parts.

2. An arch support comprising a foot engaging member formed of non-metallic material and provided with means inter mediate its ends to constitute an arch supporting portion, a metallic holding plate opposing the lower face of said means and the lower face of said member at the rear end thereof, and means for securing said plate in position said plate having its outer side edge flush with the outer side edge of the means to provide the arch supporting portion, and said plate. having its inner side edge spaced from the corresponding edge of said member.

3. An arch support comprising a foot engaging member formed of non-metallic material and provided with means intermediate its ends to constitute an arch'supporting portion, a metallic holding plate opposing the lower face of said means and the lower face of said member at the rear thereof, a hold-fast device for securing said plate intermediate its ends to said means and member, and a hold-fast device for securing the forward end of said plate to said means and member, said plate consisting of a wide and a narrow part, said narrow part projecting forwardly from said wide part.

41. An arch support comprising a foot engaging member formed of non-metallic material and provided with means intermediate its ends to constitute an arch supporting portion, a metallic holding plate opposing the lower face of said means and the lower face of said member at the rear thereof, a hold-fast device for securing said plate intermediate its ends to said means and memher, and a hold-fast device for securing the forward end of said plate to said means and member, said plate formed of a narrow and a wide part, said narrow part projecting forwardly from said wide part at one side thereof. I

5. An arch support comprising a foot engaging member formed of non-metallic material and provided with means intermediate its ends to constitute an arch supporting portion, a metallic holding plate opposing the lower face of said means and the lower face of said member at the rear thereof, a holdfast device for securing said plate intermediate its ends to said means and member, a hold-fast device for securing the forward end of said plate to said means and member, said plate formed of a narrow and a Wide part, said narrow part projecting forwardly from said narrow part at one side thereof, and said plate having its outer side edge flush with said means and its other side edge spaced inwardly with respect to the corresponding edge of said member.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

ERNST MUELLER. 

